Dáil debates

Wednesday, 29 June 2022

EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

4:27 pm

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is costing families. The €40 charge is for the 450 MW. This is not the cost that will go on to people's bills because of the €7 or €8 billion that will be required in grid infrastructure so that data centres can access electricity. We are relying on the fact that we will have all this renewable energy, therefore, it does not matter where that energy is used. However, it will be difficult to meet those renewable energy targets. Once wind farms start going up off the coast, the Minister will find that people will not be as amenable to having the seas completely full of wind farms to facilitate data centre growth on land. I ask that the Minister focuses on where the actual demand is as well as where the biggest changes can be made. It is not through individual homeowners that he will do that. The Minister said that the PSO levy is separate to this charge. Individuals do not care whether the money they are being charged on their bill is as a result of the PSO or an additional charge to pay for this emergency generation. They do not care. All they see is an extra €40 that they have to find somewhere. I ask the Minister to take that into consideration.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.